iPhone Duo

Of two minds about upgrading to the iPhone 18 Pro from your current iPhone? While the newest iPhone packs some compelling upgrades, it might not be worth the higher price tag. Plus, wanting an upgrade and needing one are two different things.

With the 20th-anniversary iPhone rumored for next year, you might want to consider holding off on buying the iPhone 18 Pro this year. Here are some reasons you should not upgrade.

Apple’s new iPhone Duo reportedly comes with a new Shift Left Edge setting that lets users add a fake bezel to its outer display. The toggle is built for one job: helping the first folding iPhone play nicer with cases.

The setting lives inside iPhone Duo’s display options. Turn it on, and content will shift away from the left edge of the screen. That way, a case that extends over the display won’t cover anything important.

iPhone Duo doesn’t use Face ID, but adding facial recognition to the foldable is reportedly on Apple’s roadmap. And so is the third camera that so many people want!

A new report says facial recognition and a telephoto camera are Apple’s top priorities for future versions of its new folding phone. Apple Intelligence could be the key to both.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s Surprise and Shine event is in the books! The iPhone Duo is real, and it definitely folds. New Apple CEO John Ternus didn’t, though. He acquitted himself admirably as he briefly uncapped Apple’s magic product pipeline.

We discuss how things went down and our reactions to iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• How does iPhone 18 Pro stack up against iPhone 17 Pro? The new variable-aperture camera sounds impressive, but seriously … how much better do your iPhone pix need to be? And how much are you willing to spend for slightly better snapshots?
• The new Apple Watch models come with a powerful new chip that enables a pair of controversial features: Live Rewind and Siri Recap. Both involve the Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 quietly listening in the background at all times. And that stirs real privacy concerns.
• Another pair of Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4 features — your readiness score and Health Age — raise a different kind of question. Namely, just how scientific and useful are they?
• We wrap up the show with a show of hands: Who’s getting what new Apple products? The subject proves dicier than usual.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.

Apple began accepting preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this morning. Both phones arrive in stores on Friday, September 18, when the first preorder deliveries also reach customers.

The Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and new AirPods 5 were already available for preorder, with all three launching the same day. However, if you want the folding iPhone Duo, you’ll need to wait until October to place your preorder.

Apple’s Edge Light feature may soon make the jump from Mac to iPhone. Code in the iOS 27 release candidate suggests the glowing screen-border effect could be coming to the iPhone Duo. It could eventually make its way to other iPhone models, too.

The discovery comes from an analysis of Apple’s latest software beta. The code points to the Mac feature being adapted for iPhone, creating a soft ring of light around the edge of the display. The catch is that it’s still an early build, and some key settings aren’t finished yet.

The internet is full of ridiculous hot takes about almost everything, and the introduction of the iPhone Duo is no exception. From “copying Samsung” to “resurrecting 10-year-old tech in a modern smarphone,” the best, worst and most hilarious hot takes show just how important the new foldable is likely to be.

So you’re eyeing the iPhone Duo. Before you preorder, know this: The iPhone Duo versus iPhone 18 Pro fight is closer than you might think, but the folding phone loses by more than a few rounds.

Apple’s latest flagships launched together during Wednesday’s Surprise and Shine event. But to achieve its cutting-edge design, the Duo trades some camera and other features that the two iPhone 18 Pro models keep. Here’s what you’d give up if you buy the first folding iPhone.

Judging by social media, the iPhone Duo looks like it will be a big hit, not least because the first folding iPhone appears to have no visible screen crease when opened to full size.

That’s a big drawback for other foldable devices. Here are some other revealing tidbits about the iPhone Duo.

The just announced iPhone Duo is an iPad that fits in your pocket. The 7.6-inch screen is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but folds up to be easily pocketable.

iPad users are well accustomed to side-by-side multitasking, and the Duo offers that too. And the dual-display design enables some camera tricks no other iPhone can pull off.  

“With the largest display ever on iPhone that still fits easily in your pocket, combined with the power of A20 Pro, iPhone Duo helps you stay more immersed and productive wherever you go, whether you’re enjoying content, multitasking across apps, or gaming,” said John Ternus, Apple’s new CEO.

Ready to buy the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max? You may want to know how much Apple’s new iPhones cost and when you can get your hands on them.

Here’s a breakdown of prices, preorder dates and launch-day availability so you can plan your purchase.

Apple kicked off its Surprise and Shine event Wednesday with a cinematic passing of the torch as former CEO Tim Cook introduced his successor, John Ternus.

Ternus then praised the company’s crown jewel — the iPhone, which he called an “intelligent personal hub” superpowered by artificial intelligence — before unveiling a slew of new products, including the first folding iPhone, known as the iPhone Duo.

Other new and upgraded products included the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. Plus, various Apple execs also showcased new software features coming soon in iOS 27 and the company’s other software platforms.

“iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day,” Ternus said, before name-checking the new AI-powered Siri and advanced features in the new Apple Watch and AirPods.

“Simply put, iPhone brings powerful AI capabilities together with your personal context on the device you have with you all the time,” Ternus continued. “So today, we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone.”

• See also: This is when iOS 27, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate arrive

Apple will call its first foldable iPhone the iPhone Duo, with a starting price of $2,000, according to a last-minute report. The starting price is lower than many previous predictions. But those who opt for configurations wth additional storage could pay nearly $3,000.

After years of rumors, Apple finally appears ready to launch the first folding iPhone. It’ll be the most significant shakeup to the basic design of an iOS device since… well, ever.

There’s no official confirmation of a foldable iPhone, of course. But the rumors are unusually detailed, covering everything from the screen size and hinge design to the processor, cameras and even the phone’s possible name.

Here’s what to expect, when and at what cost.

Apple’s September product launch event kicks off on Wednesday, and there is so much to look forward to. It’ll be a milestone for the company in multiple ways.

First off, the “Surprise and Shine” event be the first with John Ternus welcoming everyone, not Tim Cook. He became Apple CEO just days ago, and will surely be acting as ringmaster for all the announcments.

That will keep him busy, with plenty of new products on the agenda. The first folding iPhone is expected to be the star of the show, joined by the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, with potentially even more products in store.

Here’s everything expected to take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park on September 9.

The first folding iPhone will support MagSafe, according to a new report that may finally settle one of the last open questions about the rumored device.

Apple reportedly found some space for MagSafe’s magnetic array despite the thin design of the foldable, likely called the iPhone Ultra. New details also surfaced about pricing, launch timing and where Apple’s folding phone is expected to excel.

The folding iPhone expected in September will open to become what is essentially a small iPad. But that doesn’t mean that it will support Apple Pencil, the stylus designed for Apple tablets.

Apple tested a version of the stylus for its upcoming foldable phone, but nixed the idea for multiple reasons, according to an unconfirmed report published Sunday. The most notable reason for cancellation: danger that the stylus might damage the iPhone’s folding screen.

Apple’s A20 Pro chip is shaping up to be a big leap forward. A new leak points to a significant jump in speed with a considerable cut in power use. This is the best look yet at the performance of a processor that will be critical to the success of Apple new flagship smartphones.

Built on TSMC’s 2-nm process, the chip is expected to make its debut in the iPhone 18 Pro lineup this fall. The upgrade should mean serious performance and battery gains, but it likely won’t come cheap.

If Apple launches the first folding iPhone next to the iPhone 18 Pro Max this fall, it won’t just add a new phone. It will force an awkward question: How many “best iPhones” can Apple sell at once?

For years, the iPhone Pro Max has been the undisputed top of the line. Now rumors point to a foldable model, possibly called the iPhone Ultra or the iPhone Fold, arriving at the same time.

The latest leak about the first folding iPhone says Apple might not deliver the extreme battery capacity that most early rumors indicated.

If you were banking on a foldable with all-day battery life, this is worth pausing on.

Apple could make dramatic changes to its iPhone release strategy. The major shift: the iPhone 18 release date has reportedly been pushed back to 2027.

There will still be plenty to announce in September, including three new high-end handsets. But the mid-range and entry-level versions — including the iPhone 18 — will stay under wraps for months afterward.

Apple hiked prices on Mac, iPad and more on Thursday, but not handsets — all iPhone models still cost what they did before. But an analyst warns that we should expect the iPhone models coming in the fall to cost significantly more than the current ones. That’s especially true for the iPhone Ultra.

Even so, the analyst anticipates strong iPhone sales this fall. Here’s why.

Apple has already approved development of its second-generation foldable iPhone — before the first one even hits store shelves — while the future of the ultra-thin iPhone Air line stays up in the air, a prominent leaker said Thursday. So while Apple plans iPhone Ultra 2, sales worries may delay or even kill off iPhone Air 3.

After months of swirling concern over hinge reliability, Apple’s long-anticipated foldable iPhone, aka iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, now looks to be on solid footing for a fall launch, according to a new supply chain report Wednesday.

Apple fans eyeing the company’s rumored foldable iPhone may want to reconsider their purchase plans, according to a new analysis Tuesday. It finds foldable smartphones hemorrhage value at an alarming rate — losing 64.6% of their original price within just a year of ownership. The question is, can Apple avoid that fate that awaits so many Android foldables?